William munroe



(No Model.)

W. MUNROE.v UPRIGHT PIANO ACTION.

No. 570,041. Patented oct. 27, 1896.

Wzefmw) UNITEv Sterns 'ATENT FFICE.

IVILIJIAM MUNROE,OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

UPRiGHT-PANO ACTION.

SPECIFICATION flming part 0f Letters Patent N0. 570,041, dated October 27, 1896.

Application iiled February 27, 1896. Serial No. 581,059. (No model.)

To lil/,ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MUNROE, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Upright- Piano Actions, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of an uprightpiano action constructed in accordance with my present invention, the several parts being in their normal position-t'- c., the hammer, jack, and key-lever being at rest. Fig. 2 is a side elevation representing the key depressed and the hammer-rod in its upright position immediately after the recession of the hammer from the string. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the essential features of my present invention, on a larger scale; Figs. 4 and 5, sectional details.

The objects o'l' my present invention are particularly set forth in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 551,832, dated December 24, 1895, the said objects being, to wit, to obtain elasticity of touch with prompt and rapid responses of tone and power of stroke bythe employment of a minimum number of parts of simplest construction, which permanently retain their effectiveness under the various conditions or changes of the atmosphere and of transportation from place to place and this invention consists, in combination with the hammer and a bracketsecured to the jack, of certain other springs of different construction, arrangement, and operation than those specified in my said recent Letters Patent, by Which I accomplish the aforesaid requirements, so essential in instrumental practice, said springs a-nd their related parts being hereinafter fully described and specifically claimed.

In the said drawings, A represents the keylever; B, the lifting-jack; C, the hammer; a, the hammer-rod; b, the hammer-butt; c, a bifurcated cleat screwed to the hammer-butt rail D, and to which cleat the hammer-butt is pivoted at 15.

E is the hammer-rest rail, provided with an inclined cushion d, against which the upper end of the hammer-rod rests when in its normal position-t'. c., when the key is not depressed and the parts are seen in the position shown in Fig. 1.

One of the strings is represented by a vertical line G.

II is a right-angular bracket secured to the front of the jack B, and I is the escapementrail.

The key-lever is pivoted at e, and its outer or key end, when depressed, strikes a cushion g, secured to the transverse key-rail.; thereunder, and the inner end of the key-lever is weighted at 1G, and in its normal position rests on a cushion hin a well-known manner.

i is a rocker rigidly secured by adjustingscrews 17 to the upper side of the inner end of the key-lever, and is provided with a socket 18 for the reception of the lower cushioned foot 19 ot' the upright lifting-rod L, pivoted at its upper end at 2O to a guid e-lever M, pivoted within a bifurcated arm 2l, projecting down from and secured to the under side of the hammer-butt rail D. This guide-lever M has a bifurcated standard N rising from its upper side, to which is fulcrumed the bent foot 22 of the jack, which is located under the escapement-rail I.

Passing through the escapement-rail is an adjustable screw 23, provided with a regulatin g-button 24, against the under side of which the upper side of the jack-foot is brought into contact by the ascent of the lifting-rod L, When pressure is applied to depress the key, the upward and downward movements of the jack being insured and controlled by the rocking of the guide-lever M, while the vibration or tilting forward of the foot oi' the jack is produced by the contact thereof with the button 24, which is elastic, the spring used by me under the jack-foot in the construction shown in Patent 551,832 being dispensed with in my present construction.

The lower part of the hammer-butts front at and a short distance above and below its shoulder 25 is provided with a cushion t, which is in constant contact with the top of the jack when raised, and also when down, and is in contact with the back of the jack near its top when the jack is down.

Projecting from the front of the hammerbutt is an offset 26, provided With a cushion 27 on its upper surface which is formed with IOO a shoulder Y. 'llhe lower surface of the hammer-butt offset is also provided with a cushion or pad 2S.

On the upper or horizontal arm ol' the bracket ll is secured at 2'.) the front broad foot of a flat spring R, resembling in shape the letter S reversed, and with its upper surface In elongated and bent up at its rear end 3l.

lVhen the hammer-is at rest, (see ltig. 1,) the cushion 28 bears on the surface n1,y ot' the spring and does not come into contact with the elongated bent end 3l. lVhe-n, however, the hammer leaves its state of rest, the cushion 2S rceedcs from its seat on the upper surface m of the spring R, and innnediately after the hammer has struck the string and is being returned (in a manner presently to be dcscribed) into an upright position near the spring reat y for the repetition of the stroke the rear end of the cushion 2S is supported by the elongated upper end 3l of' the spring R. (See lfig. 2.) Simultaneous with the return of the hammer into its upright position ready for a repetition of its stroke and while the cushion 2S on the lnunmcr-lnitt is supported bythe elongated end 3l of spring lt the hammer is checked and held motionless by 'the stop n rising from the bracket ll., which is brought forward against the shoulder Z et' the hammer-butt offset 2G, in which position the key is depressed and the parts are in the position seen in liig.

'lhc forni of the spring lt, as stated, approximates to that of the letter S reversed, this shape heilig particularly 'favorable for economy of space, which in arranging pianoactions is of greatvaluc. Several of the features which l have just described-viz., the peculiar shape of the hammer-butt offset 2G, the S-shaped spring llt, the stop n, and the bracket ll, to which said stop and spring are securedl believe are departures from ordinary piano-actions. To perfect, however, the construction, the hammer after its stroke must be held in a position near the string (as long as thc finger is on the key) so as to be thrown against the string in quick succession by a small motion of the key, and l tind by years of experience to obtain the best responsive and repeative results, and to enable the performer to rapidly vibrate the strings and to trill7 with a delicate touch, that the checking and holding the hammer motionless in such position must only be for a minute period of time to allow the jack to be thrown back into its normal position, as when the key is at rest. l will now describevthe device which l have originated and which makes such consummation possible.

To the front and near the bottom et the bracketA ll is secured by a coil the 'foot of a round light wire spring p, which extends in nearly an upright direction. and terminates in a bend or hook 32, located in a plane slightly above the point l5, at which the ham- 1ner-butt l) is pivoted. This hooked end $.32 is connected with the hammer-butt 2G by a ligature, loop, or band of silk-worm gut or parchment or cord or connection of silk. or tape ot linen rol a sufficient length to create an easy, elastic, permanent tension of the spring' at all times, the degree of tension being least when the hammer is at rest and gradually increasing as the hammer advances toward the string, (on the depression of thc key,) said tension being greatest as the ham mer strikes the string, whereby the backward movement of the hammer after striking is 'facilitated and the jack instantly returned to its normal position. (See llig. l.) 'lhe tension of the said spring p keeps the jack l hugging under the cushion of the hinunter butt and enables the spring to perform the above-recited double function.

A 'flat spring having its lower end secured or not by a coil to the jack or bracketmay bc employed .instead of the round wire spring p described, and will answer a very good pur pose; but such substitution is bnta suhstantial equivalent thereof.

'lhe spring t may be associated with a dil`- 'ferent spring than that p and the desired functions be fulfilled, and the spring p ma)y also be employed in connection with a differ ently-eonstructed spring than that l or the bracket on which it is seated, and the results still be satisfactory.

l claiml. ln combination with the bracket ll and hz'unmer-butt l), aspringp havingone end sccured to the bracket, and a connection or ligature yr extending .from the other end of. said spring to the hanuner-butt, as set forth.

2. rlhe yjack ll, bracket lt, spring lt seated upon the latter, and the hannner-butt t) and its offset Qt combined, constructed and arranged to operate as specified.

3. 'lhe stop nin combination with theha1n mer-butt b, its offset 2G and shoulder l, the jack B and bracket lll, described.

t. The jack 13, bracket ll'. spring It hammer-butt offset 2G with. its shoulder l and the stop 11, combined and operating as set forth.

5.v rlhe springp, ligature or connection f', han'nner-butt l), jack ll and bracket ll, in combination with the spring lt, stop n and hantiner-butt offset E2G with its shoulder con structed to operate as specified.

\Vitncss my hand this 125th day of l? `:ln-nary, 1890. A

XVILLlitllt lttllllttfli. ln presence 0f WILLIAM T. issus, .Lutins Mcm. 

